The unmistakable sound of a saw at work on the undercarriage of a car at 4:40 a.m. brought the car owner on the run and sent three would-be catalytic converter thieves running for the hills as police arrived Thursday.
Ed. Note: The attached video is a hopefully obvious recording of converter thieves at work in daylight so that method, timing, etc. might be understood.
Currently one of the most popular criminal undertakings, converter theft has spiked worldwide in recent months and Lafayette, it seems, is not exempt.
The thieves, three men dressed in dark clothing and believed to be riding in a white Audi, attacked a vehicle on Walnut Street in an effort to get its converter – which had been cut but which was not taken.
Police were called and officers ringed the area in an attempt to corral the thieves but they were believed to have escaped. If you’re law enforcement and have additional information, feel free to post it in the comment field.
I kept hoping for the toyota to slip off that jack.
It has happened…
Why has our legislature not found a way to make this crime unprofitable? The damage far exceeds the $950 no-jail threshold. Is everything catch and release these days? Who is buying the stolen converters and where are they going? To repair shops in an endless recycling loop?
I know. I bought a used one for ol’ Vol from Jack Jeebs. When asked about the seller he said, “He seemed all right to me”.
Movie Hall of Fame. God bless Alan Rickman.